Thousands of students are graduating next week, and if you're one of those students, chances are you don't know what will happen after you walk across that big stage.

Some of you might go home and chill for a while. Maybe some of you do have a job, but it probably has nothing to do with what you're studying - perhaps it involves a spatula and a funny hat.

It's not just those graduating who have to worry. Academic years fly by pretty quickly, and current juniors are going to be in the exact same situation soon.

Despite all the cover letters, résumés, interviews and applications, everyone does not walk away from this university with a career. That doesn't mean it's a bad thing, however. There are several opportunities to flex your skills in other fields.

Peace Corps

In the classic comedy movie "Airplane!," the main characters Ted and Elaine sign up for the Peace Corps, teach an African tribe to play basketball and have Tupperware parties.

It's not that simple in real life, says Scot Roskelley, public affairs specialist for the Peace Corps in the regional office in Chicago. The Peace Corps is a U.S. government-sponsored organization that recruits citizens to do volunteer work in 77 countries.

MSU ranks eighth in large schools and universities that have students involved in the Peace Corps and most are recent graduates, Roskelley said.

"Michigan State, as well as the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, have always been real strong contenders," Roskelley said.

About 74 Peace Corps participants have some affiliation with MSU. Some of the reasons why MSU students are involved with the Peace Corps might be because of the study abroad program, a significant percentage of international students and different options for volunteering.

"There's a lot of individual and personal growth," Roskelley said. "This stems from them doing things that they never thought that they could do. They get to see poverty in a whole different setting by working and living in poverty."

Students interested in the Peace Corps must apply at least one year in advance of the time they are ready to leave. The entire application process takes one year. There is a 27-month commitment, but there is a stipend during the trip and participants receive $6,075 after they complete the program.

Missionary work

For those looking to travel and also looking for spiritual fulfillment, there also are mission trips. Adventures in Missions offers religious programs in Kenya, Swaziland, New Zealand, Dominican Republic, Kosovo, Jamaica, Peru and Mexico.

Participants can end up working in different offices overseas, such as orphanages, medical centers or women's shelters, said Adam Grainger, a recruiter for Adventures in Missions.

"If you're looking at someone who's graduated from a field in counseling, then a women's shelter would be perfect for them," Grainger said.

There is a $35 application fee to apply for Adventures in Missions, but there is one important qualification the organization stresses.

"You have to be a believer of Jesus Christ and accept him as your savior," Grainger said.

There is labor involved in mission work, so applicants should be in good health and applicants also should be ready to give a helping hand.

"That's our biggest thing, just helping people," Grainger said. "It teaches people to have a caring and love that we as human beings can't gather ourselves."

Operation Mobilization, another Christian organization that offers mission trips, puts its missionaries right in the fray.

"We are known as an agency that gets people right in the door. When they hit the field, they get to work," said Lane Powell, publications editor for the organization.

Military

Most students interested in a military career or in using the military as a stepping stone in their path of life enter Army ROTC during college. But this is not the only way to become a soldier, said Lt. Col. David Taylor, chairman of the Department of Military Sciences.

There are plenty of opportunities for recent graduates interested in the military. With an occupation list of up to 212 different tasks, military jobs can range from legal clerks to cooks.

And college graduates have a leg up in the military world - a degree is required to become an officer.

Taylor said the military is not recruiting graduates with specific majors, but certain skills are needed by the army. These include fluency in foreign languages, medical knowledge and familiarity with criminal justice.

"We're hiring - we need good people," Taylor said. "Soldiers and all those people in the military are doing good, honorable work, but at the same time it's a very dangerous profession."

Recruits are sent to basic training camp for two months to learn skills such as marching and shooting. They are then transferred to areas for individualized training for their choice occupation.

Travel

For students facing a real, adult job soon after they graduate, the unavoidable life of scheduled respectability can get a bit nerve-racking. Spending a summer traveling on tour or backpacking can take the edge off of real life, said Kelly Loredo, travel adviser at STA Travel, 207 Grand River Ave.

"They want to have another adventure before getting into the real world and have an independent experience," Loredo said. "Everybody says, 'It's my last trip.'"

Even though Europe is the most expensive place to go during the summer, the continent remains the most common destination for current students and recent graduates, said Bob Sorum, manager of Anderson International Travel, 2740 East Lansing Drive.

More people are choosing to travel in prearranged tours, which provide transportation, lodging and sometimes meals, although backpacking also is a popular method, Loredo said.

"There are lot of people who want to stay independent, but tours are nice for people when traveling for the first time because it takes the guesswork out of the process," she said.

Graduate school

Although getting a job right after graduating from college is a viable option, there are many incentives for students to continue with their education and attend graduate school.

High-paying jobs open up to graduates with masters degrees or doctoral degrees, said Tony Nunez, associate dean for MSU's Graduate School.

"There's also the opportunity to switch from being a consumer of knowledge to being a partner in the generation of new knowledge," Nunez said.

Many graduates students are paid by their chosen institutions to research or teach classes. At MSU, graduate students studying science are more likely to be involved in research than working as teaching assistants, Nunez said.

The graduate school encourages students to search for the institution that will challenge them and bring new ideas to their area of study, he said, adding that many recent Spartans graduates are a good fit for MSU.

"It is important to bring students from other universities to maintain an influx of new ideas and perspectives," Nunez said.

MSU offers two different ways to earn a master's degree, Plan A and Plan B. To earn a Plan A master's degree, students must research, collect data and write a thesis. The Plan B master's degree focuses on course work and experience.

Teach for America

For graduates driven to change the world and who don't mind putting aside their educational or business plans, Teach For America offers a unique life experience.

If accepted, applicants teach underprivileged children in low-income city areas for two years, but about 60 percent of teachers remain in the program for a longer time.

"We need people who believe the education gap can be eradicated and that children from low-income areas can achieve," said Brad Leon, recruitment director for Teach For America at MSU.

An applicant's major does not affect their chance to be accepted. The group is looking for seven specific qualities, Leon said: achievement, perseverance, ability to influence or motivate others, critical thinking, organization, respect or humility and a similar goal to help underprivileged children.

Many of the 40 percent of teachers who do not continue with Teach for America after the mandatory two-year period attend graduate schools, he said.

Manish Raiji, a 2002 University of Michigan graduate, taught sixth-grade math in Baltimore before coming to MSU for medical school.

"It was tough, but rewarding," Raiji said. "It's really important for people to say they can do anything for two years."

Nineteen of 158 MSU 2005 graduates who applied were accepted into the program this year.